I know from teaching, that actors want to act. Even the subtlest actors can do a little too much.

For me, listening to my breath in between the lines, allows me to be in deep connection to my spirit.

In my culture, my mother's sisters are also my mother. And my father's sisters are my mother's, too. So I have many mothers. My mom has a fierce love for her children. And she's known to say things like if you die I'll kill you.

When I listen to my scene partners and listen to their breathing allows me to be connected to them in scenes. I am not trying to multi task, not trying to talk on the phone, but in my character.

Many times - especially when I'm playing an historical character - I want to be really on target with how I create that character and really nuanced with who that human being might be. But I don't want to lose the likeness of me or the depth of my own personality. So meditation and my spirituality has helped me to realize that, yes, I want to get out of the way but I also want the ability to hold on to what the audience likes of what they see of me.

I have from time to time been a double A or triple A personality. I'm not anymore. I'm more lenient on myself.

I don't think anyone is black and white and I think we change our minds and our attitudes about certain things as we grow to our maturity.